Even though we can’t be together, it’s still a bit of a support mechanism knowing he’s out here too.

Lance Corporal Alisha Henderson

Lance Corporal Alisha Henderson and her Corporal husband Paul were deployed to Helmand Province in September.

The pair, who are Army chefs, work with different units, which means they never get to meet up.

Alisha, from Edinburgh, who is 24 on Christmas Eve, serves with the 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment. She said: “We get to speak to each other twice a week, on Saturdays and Tuesdays. We try and keep it to 9.30pm each time because we’ve both got commitments.

“With Christmas coming, we’re in the mindset that it’s just another working day. It’s how it has to be.

“Even though we can’t be together, it’s still a bit of a support mechanism knowing he’s out here too.”

Paul, from Newcastle upon Tyne, serves with The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.